Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Sactown Royalty's Tom Ziller is considered one of the best bloggers around the internet. He is a blogger for AOL Sports' Fanhouse as well as Sactown Royalty. I was most interested in this interview not only for Tom's well earned reputation but in the similarities between the two teams. Sacramento has been revuilding after a string of playoff appearances, has owners who seemed to want to move the team and are coached by a former player in his first season as a head coach in the NBA. Tom also asked me some questions that I answered (hopefully not as poorly as I answered Ryan Shwan at Hornets 24/7). Anyway, if you want to read the answers to Tom's questions, here is the link .

1) In the last few years Sacramento has lost Peja Stojakovic, Bonzi Wells, Mike Bibby and rumors are that Ron Artest is on the way out as well. Is Sacramento closer to the end of the rebuilding stage or the beginning?

Closer to the beginning, unfortunately. Trading Bibby was a huge step, though, in freeing up some backcourt minutes (for Udrih and Douby) and getting enough under the luxury tax to sign Udrih this summer. The team's still about a season from playoff contention, though.

2) The Kings seem to be putting together some nice pieces with Spencer Hawes, Quincy Douby, Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia and Beano Udrih. They've accomplished this without the benefit of a top 3 draft pick and the supposed superstar status that comes with those picks. Do you believe that Sacramento can attract a Superstar or that one is needed on this team?

This team needs Martin to continue to improve, Hawes to become a 18/8 big man... and one more top-flight player to contend, along with keeping good defensive roleplayers who can score (like Salmons and Garcia) and adding a banger power forward/center to make up for Hawes's athletic deficiencies. Beno is an above-average offensive point guard, for suffers on defense and doesn't quite have that star-scorer streak. If they can get under the cap, they can attract a superstar. It's all ca$h in this game.

3) The Maloof Brothers, owners of the Kings, have been rumored to be moving the team to Las Vegas or some other more lucrative city. Have the rumors been detrimental to the cities support of the Kings?

The rumors have stopped as the league stepped in to take over negotiations. This team won't be moving in the next two years, I imagine, if at all. Honestly, we as fans are maybe half as worried as we were over the last several years.

4) What are you thoughts on Reggie's first season and do you believe he is the right coach to turn things around in Sacramento?

I think Theus has had a certain degree of difficulty involved, that being Ron Artest. The defense under Theus has been much worse than it should be, but his game tactics seem good. He's a decent coach at worst, I think.